Based in Camden, RAaW (formerly YPTC) is a film and theatre training company for 13 - 25 year olds, which and has been running for over 15 years.

We pride ourselves on not only creating a platform for talented young people to succeed in the industry, but to also train actors to the highest standards in an unconventional setting and style. We always work towards industry related projects both in film and theatre, with an equally important emphasis on building work muscle and technique, self discovery and development. We focus heavily on creating new work and there are sessions dedicated to developing actors writing skills.

We are about truth and individuality, rather than polish and performance. Ultimately we develop an actor's natural animal and ability to a very high standard, without removing what is organic and unique to each individual. We feel this is the modern approach of what is needed in the industry.

RAaW also trains young actors in professionalism, in readiness to move effortlessly into the industry. We do this both through their training and with our management. RAaW Management represents actors we train. Part of what the agency develops in it's actors is helping them understand and commit to great communication, time keeping, commitment and work ethic. We also develop their understanding of the industry and who is in it, their online presence, profile, image, head shots and show reels. Finally we build up their CV's with professional work in order that they can ultimately move onto bigger agents.

Actors are coached by six different coaches for 6 - 10 hours every week, covering different aspects of the craft. Below are just some of the workshops:

Acting

Archetypes

Led and developed by Robbi Stevens in association with Australian psychotherapist and motivational speaker Katie Altham, Archetypes define personality traits and help you understand underlying fears and motivations, potential health issues, self destructive patterns and purpose. Archetypes is not about putting something on and acting a part, more about finding the archetype within, getting to know it, playing around with it, strengthening it and using it. Working in RS Management acting agency every day, Robbi relates archetypes directly to what is being cast in industry

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Castings, Who Are You?

The aim of the game is to know WHAT you are, Who you are, to then know what TYPE you could be. An actor must not limit themselves. You can't be everything, however you can be more than one thing. Knowing WHO you are from an aesthetic point of view, is a lot of what the industry looks for when casting and if you are able to have some knowledge of that yourself, it is easier for you to make choices of what to go for, how to market yourself and clearer for casting directors to 'see you'. Actors go through a series of exercises then write scenes around the type to learn to speak, move and think like the type and to work towards extreme versions of the type.

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Classical Text

Actors will always study classical text at RAaW as we feel it is important to gain an insight into classical texts and the technique in voice and acting needed to elevate the scripts into a performance. This includes getting underneath the rhythm of the language and heightening the spoken
word whilst remaining believable. With more and more classical film, TV and theatre developing in the UK, it is an essential part of training.

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Film Improvisation

The opportunity to film a scene/piece of film purely improvised is too great to ignore. By creating a platform for actors to be purely and completely in the moment in between hook or continuity points, we are able to produce spontaneous and exciting short films that actors can use in their showreel. Starting with archetypes, actors take a recognisable incident from their 'patterns', and with their imagination develop it into a stimulating piece for film. This is all done from start to finish within two hours of the idea forming.

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Laban

Originating from the work of Rudolf Laban and developed and extended by Robbi Stevens for RAaW, Laban is a way of recognising and therefore having choice in movement patterns. It helps actors create different physical attributes and emotional patterns in characters as well as being able to define moments that need to be lifted into a brighter clarity.

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Monologues

One to one tuition on classical and modern monologues, from theatre and film, for auditions and to address students' individual vocal and physical performance habits/issues. Using close analysis of the text to reveal the rhythm of the speech, identify emotional arcs and thought changes, subtext, character goals and obstacles, and focusing on vocal and physical techniques to create specific and engaging characters in the space of a short speech.

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Scene Study

Working with two or three character short scenes, taking vocal studies into scene work to challenge and extend the students' range. Looking at the specifics of finding the character's voice and techniques for transferring voice work from exercises to performance, as well as working on students' individual vocal habits and issues.

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Sight Reading/Audition Technique

These classes will look at sight-reading and delivering text in auditions; introducing techniques for exploring the text, finding the flow of thought, clarity, audition technique, connecting with the text and taking risks. Actors will have the opportunity to practice with a variety of material from theatre, TV. and film.

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The Stevens Technique

A technique born out of the challenges with actors Robbi Stevens has faced whilst directing film and theatre over 15 years. Within this radical and organic technique, there are 5 different focus points, all connected, which eventually become one.
The first of the five is called 'The Tool Box' made up of many different quick exercises encouraging the body not the mind. Using breath, muscles and physical exercises to quickly access real emotions and freedom of thought and energy, this does not rely on emotional memory or personal experiences and consists of easy techniques to go back to.
The other four also encourage the actors individuality rather than a pre conceived notion actors have to fit into. They include Emotional Fluidity and Availability, The Other Life, From Freedom to Risk Taking and Bubbles.

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Writing

Testimonials and Acting

A great idea quite often comes from a true one or one based on real events. It is an interesting journey researching, writing then acting a part in a script, based on a life, journey or event that you are passionate about telling. This takes the full 10 weeks and not for the light hearted.

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Writing and Script Development

Writing is not just about getting something on a page to act with, it is turning into an essential tool for any actor/writer to develop in order to produce their own work. We use many different formats and ways of accessing the 'hidden writer' which have manifested in comedy sketches, the spoken word, monologues and more.

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Voice and Dialect

Accents for Film

An advanced class following 'Introduction to Accents', will introduce the General American Accent and UK Regional Accents for film. Course
will include skills in applying accent to film monologues and duologues. Students should expect intensive feedback, with the ultimate aim to sound as embodied (or 'native') in each accent. Class will serve as preparation for Showreels.

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Dialect

Introduction to Accents / Neutral Standard English Accent
This class will introduce the fundamental skills involved in replicating and embodying accents for the film/stage. Beginning with an introduction to anatomy, articulatory drills to increase versatility, ear training and the breakdown of each actor's habitual speech patterns, we then apply our skills to learning the Neutral Standard English Accent (Modern RP.) Actors will apply to scenes for feedback and performance.

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Voice

Creating a solid grounding in safe and effective vocal technique for theatre and film. Covering all aspects of vocal training from breathing and releasing tensions in the body, vocal placement, diction, clarity, pitch, projection, accent work, vocal tics, connection of the character's voice and emotion to the breath, finding the character's voice, and understanding the effect posture and physicality have on the voice. Using natural breathing and a holistic approach to physicalise and energise the voice.

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Stage and Screen Combat

Combat

Led by Sam Kahn is a dynamic and exciting art form used in theatrical productions and on film to create the illusion of violence whilst keeping the actors as safe as possible. Fights and violence tend to happen when words are no longer sufficient to express our emotions, and so it is not very surprising that writers often employ violence and fights at pivotal moments of the story they are trying to tell. From Shakespeare to Shepard, writers use violence to dramatically change the course of the story they are telling and actors must be capable of portraying that violence safely and effectively on stage and on film.

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The Pain Workshop

Led by Kandice Morris, developed with Doctor Mekella Mehmet-Yesil, this workshop breaks down what the actor experiences anatomically by the pain inflicted during stage and screen combat. This means that the actor will understand the level of pain and how long it lasts alongside what effect the pain has on a person due to internal damage or where on the body the assault is inflicted.